From: To: A303 to Subject: Response from M Lewis Ex Q1 20/12/18 Date: 23 January 2019 11:47:15

1.8.5 FLOOD RISK

a. During this century there have been three major floods affecting largely properties largely in and impacting also on properties further downstream along the River Cam. In West Camel’s case it is the volume of water not only travelling down from Sparkford but the additional water above West Camel from the A 303. This occurs not only when the ground is sodden with days of continuous rain, but also when the ground is baked hard from the sun and there is a thunderstorm and the volume of water overflows the inadequate systems in place.

Countess Gytha Primary School has been moved away from the River Cam at Queen Camel owing to it being severely flooded 3 times during the last 30 years. The parish council in West Camel have undertaken a community flood mitigation scheme to try to overcome rainwater travelling at speed downhill from the A303. The A303 is constantly flooded during storms betwixt Wayne’s Bistro and the Podimore slip road largely because the fields both north and south of the A303 are also flooded and the water cannot escape where the ditches have not been adequately maintained and the shear volume of water has increased in recent years. The flood water is added to as the water in the River Cam comes from Blackford and travels under the A303 on the outskirts of Sparkford and is restricted by the bridge on the Old London Road. Sparkford. Once the water in the river Cam is under the bridge and it is past the lock gates at the Old Mill, Sparkford it is free flowing in times of spate until it reaches a restricted bridge off Frog Lane West Camel unless the river has not been dredged for a number of years. The floodwater from the Cam impacts on all the communities downstream between West Camel and and the Levels ( including ) Bridghampton and Urgashay located within and abutting West Camel. The water from the A303 adds significantly to the volume of water already in the Cam

I am sure that if asked West Camel Parish Council would be happy to show you their flood mitigation scheme that may have to be refreshed as part of the dualling, on one of your site visits.

Yours sincerely,

Cllr Mike Lewis

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